InfoWorld - Tech Watch: Skyrocketing viruses, less danger?

Cyber criminals are constantly repackaging the same code in different ways to fool antivirus programs. So why are we still counting viruses?

September 02, 2010
By Robert Lemos

In 2008, antivirus firm Sophos processed about 20,000 "new" pieces of malware every day. By mid-year 2010, cyber criminals had apparently tripled the company's workload, producing 60,000 different malware samples.

Other antivirus firms report similar increases in the number of uniquely identified malicious software. In its recently released quarterly threat report, for example, McAfee claims to be processing 55,000 "new" pieces of malware every day. Antivirus firm Panda also states that it recognizes 55,000 variants of malicious software every day.

Cue the pulling of hair and shouting from the street corners: "The end is nigh!"

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